Harry e



(No Model.)

. H. E. STAHL & F. T. GORYELL.

} SPROGK'ET CHAIN.

No. 578,661. Patented Mar. 9,1897.

WITNESSES IJVVEJV'TOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY E. STAHL AND FRANK '1. GO RYEL L, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY;

SAID CORYELL ASSIGNOR TO SAID STAHL.

SPROCKET-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,661, dated March 9, 1897. Application filed January 10, 1896. Serial No. 575,041. (Ncmodel-l To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY E. STAHL and FRANK T. CORYELL, citizens of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sprocket-Chains; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side view of invention as in application. Fig. 2 is a plan view of same. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of portion of chain having the invention applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof locking device. Fig. 5 shows details of pin. Fig. 6 shows modified form of latch as applied. Fig. 7 is a detail view of modification. Fig. 8 shows further modification of latch as applied. Fig. 9 is a detail View of said modified fastening device.

This invention is designed to provide an improved sprocket-chain adapted forgeneral use, but especially for bicycles and like vehicles, the main objects being, first, the provision of a chain of this character any link of which can be easily and quickly detached from the chain without the use of tools other than a pocket-knife or other pointed instrument and which can be as readily replaced or connected into the chain, and, second, to provide a chain any link of which can be as easily and quickly taken to pieces and any individual part or parts thereof cleaned, oiled, renewed, or replaced. Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the side bars of the links, B the connecting pins or journals, and C the straps or blocks which connect the links. Each link is composed of two parallel side bars A, connected near each end by one of the pins or journals B. The straps or blocks C, which connect the links, are of the usual figure 8 form, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The pins or journals B each have a head I) at one end and a surrounding groove or depression 19 near the opposite end, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. These pins are passed loosely through the apertures of'the link-bars and through the connecting blocks or straps alternatelyfrom opposite sidesthat is to say, one pin is inserted from the right-hand side, the next from the left-hand side, a third from the right-hand side, and so on throughout the length of the chain. Each pin is secured by means of a fastening device or latch D, several forms of which are shown in the drawings. The form shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 consists of a small piece or strip of metal, preferably of spring-steel, in one end portion of which is formed an open slot d, which is adapted to engage the groove 1) in the manner best shown in Fig. 3. The opposite end portion of the device has a reduced portion or tail d, which is adapted to fit a diametric groove d formed in the head I) of the preceding or succeeding pin. Intermediately of its ends the device has opposite inwardly-bent lugs 01 which are adapted to catch over the upper and lower edges of the link-bar. Each of the devices is so made that it has a natural tendency or tension such as to cause it, when engaged with the groove of one of the pins and turned into place upon the outer face of said link-bar, to clasp or hug said bar tightly. Each link has two of these devices, one upon each side and applied oppositely to each other. The purpose of these devices is threefold, as follows: first, to secure the pins or journals in place; second, by reason of the engagement of the tail or extension d with the head of the next pin to prevent said pin from turning in the side bars A, according to its natural tendency, and, third, to press the two link-bars inwardly, or toward each other, and thereby to constantly take up all lateral wear of the links.

In the form of the latch shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the lateral lugs 01 are omitted and shoulders d are provided at the base of the extension I). These shoulders are adapted to engage the head of the pin in the manner shown in Fig. 6, and thereby prevent any tendency of the latch to work endwise.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the tail or extension d is omitted, the lugs d being formed upon this end of the latch. At the slotted end the latch has a small projection d Fig. 9, which engages a small groove d cut in the end of that pin, which is engaged by said slot in the manner shown in Fig. 8.

WVhen both latches have been removed, the

link can be taken to pieces and removed from the chain. It will be apparent, therefore, that a bicycle-rider whose wheel is equipped with a chain of this character can carry a few extra link-pieces in his tool-bag or pocket, and should the chain break on the road he can quickly repair it.

A further advantage of the construction is that the chain can be taken to pieces and thoroughly cleaned and oiled at any time.

Still another advantage is the following: In the ordinary chain, where the pins are secured by riveting or upsetting their ends, they cannot be hardened, for the reason that if they are hardened before they are put in place they cannot be riveted, and if first putin place and riveted they cannot afterward be hardened without also hardening the other parts of the link, which is impractical, as it would render them too brittle. In the present chain, however, as the pins do not require to be riveted, they can be hardened when made. Inasmuch as the Wear comes directly on these pins the advantage of hardening them is obvious, resulting, as it does, in a greatly-increased life of the chain.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sprocket-chain, the combination with the link-bars and their connecting-pins, each of which has a head at one end and a groove near its opposite end, of spring-metal latch devices for securing said link-bars, said devices having each at one end an open slot which engages the groove of one of said pins, and also inwardly-bent lateral lugs (1 adapted tocatch over the upper and lower edges of one of the link-bars, said device also having means for holding one of said pins from turning in said bars, substantially as specified.

2. In a sprocket-chain, a link consisting of two parallel side bars and two connecting pins or journals passed loosely through the said bars from opposite sides, and havingeach a head at one end, and a groove near its opposite end, and two removable spring-latch devices applied one to the outer face of each link-bar, each of said devices having an open slot at one end which engages the groove of one of the pins, and a tail or extension at its opposite end which engages the head of the other pin, substantially as specified.

3. In a sprocket chain, the combination with the links having the removable side bars, and the removable pins orjournals which connect the said bars and which have each a slotted head at one end, and a surrounding groove or depression near its opposite end, of removable latch devices, each of which engages the groove of one pin of each link, and the slotted head of the other pin, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa-' tures in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY E. STAHL. FRANK T. OORYELL. 

